Health Services
COVID-19 Information & Support
Staying up to date on vaccines and following health and safety guidelines are the best way to protect yourself from COVID-19.
Health Services experiences a significant volume of calls for COVID-19 related appointments, testing, and results. Many questions related to COVID-19 illness, testing, and vaccines are covered in the links below. Please review this information prior to calling Health Services. After reviewing this information, should you have remaining questions or concerns, then contact Health Services at (931) 372-3320 for additional assistance.
Warning Sign Symptoms of COVID-19
If you have warning sign symptoms of COVID-19, you should seek emergency care immediately. Warning sign symptoms include:
- Trouble breathing
- Persistent chest pain or pressure
- New or worsening confusion
- Inability to wake or stay awake
- Pale, blue, or gray nail beds or skin, depending on your skin tone
COVID-19 Testing
Rapid Testing
COVID 19 rapid antigen testing is available at Health Services. Please call Health Services at (931) 372-3320 for an appointment.
At-Home Testing
Health Services has a limited number of at home COVID tests that you can obtain at no charge. In many cases,people who test positive for COVID-19 may be able to recover at home on their own. Read the information below carefully, and if you believe that testing at home is a good option for you, visit the front desk at Health Services for a free at-home COVID test.
Symptoms of COVID-19 include, but are not limited to:
- Fever or chills
- Fatigue
- Cough
- Sore throat
- Headache
- Muscle or body aches
- Diarrhea
- Nausea or vomiting
- New loss of taste or smell
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Congestion or runny nose
If your symptoms are mild to moderate and you don't have underlying health conditions, testing at home with an over the counter COVID-19 test may be an option for you. If you have moderate to severe symptoms, you should contact a healthcare provider to discuss the best testing or treatment options for you.
Some health conditions make serious illness from a COVID-19 infection more likely. If you have one of these conditions, you should consult a healthcare provider about the best testing and treatment options for you. Health conditions include diabetes, obesity, smoking, weakened immune system, cancer, liver or kidney disorders, and many more.
If You Test Negative
If you test negative for COVID-19, you may still be infected. If you have symptoms, you should re- test after 48 hours to verify that you remain negative. It is recommended that you continue to mask and isolate from others as long as you are experiencing symptoms, however, even if you test negative if your symptoms worsen or persist for more than a few days, you may have another respiratory infection like the flu. Contact a healthcare provider to discuss testing and treatment options.
Stay at Home if You are Sick
If you are ill, please avoid coming to or being out on campus and call your healthcare provider for any symptoms that are severe or concerning to you.
Staying home while you are ill is an important way to prevent the spread of illness in the community. For guidance on quarantine and isolation, see the CDC's Quarantine and Isolation Calculator.
Close Contact
Close contact occurs when you are within 6 feet of someone with a confirmed case of COVID-19 for a total of 15 minutes throughout the day. If you are a close contact, it is recommended that you wear a well-fitting mask and monitor yourself for symptoms for 10 days after exposure, where your date of exposure is day 0.
If at any timed during your monitoring period you develop symptoms, you should consider yourself positive for COVID-19 and begin isolating. The CDC recommends that you test for COVID-19 five days or more after exposure even if you have no symptoms or have been vaccinated.
» Additional Guidance on Close Contact (PDF)
Get Vaccinated
Vaccination is the best way to protect yourself from serious COVID-19. Vaccines are safe and effective. COVID-19 vaccines are available in the local community at various pharmacies and at the local health department.
Absences
Please communicate absences due to COVID-19 directly with your professors. Health Services does not issue school excuses for missed classes due to COVID-19.
